Ratting comb



June 30, 1964 H. MONTGOMERY 3,139,092

RATTINGCOMB Filed March 12, 1962 INVENT Ha 5/1 fio/vreams flTTORNEY United States Patent 3,139,092 RATTHNG (30MB Helen Mont omery, 6517 E. 4th Ave., Spokane, Wash. Filed Mar. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 178,963 1 Claim. (Cl. 132-9) This invention relates to improvements in hair styling combs and particularly to such combs as designed for back-combing as required for achieving a full or bouffant effect incoilfure styling.

More particularly, the present invention resides in the provision of a hair styling comb with a strand separating portion and a back-combing or teasing element, all associated together as a unitary article for a specific use.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a hair styling comb for the specific purpose of arranging coiffures where strand separation, ratting, back-combing or teasing and the usual hair combing are all important parts of the desired hair styling operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hair styling comb that embodies an ordinary or typical rat tail type of back comb with a strip of a selected abrasive mesh secured to and extending along the ridge of the back of the comb in a position for its convenient and ready use to effect the desired ratting or teasing operation that is required for certain present day coiffure stylings.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention reside in the details of formation of the essential parts of the present comb as associated in the provision of a unitary article; in their relationship to each other and in the mode of use of the unitary article in the styling of a coitfure.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the present preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the coiffure styling article or instrument embodying the features of the present invention therein.

FIG. 2 is a substantially enlarged, cross-sectional view taken through the article, on line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating use of the present hair styling comb.

In the following descriptive material and appended claims, the article of this invention will be referred to as a comb.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In FIG. 1 the comb of this invention is designated in its entirety by reference numeral 10. It is therein seen to correspond to the usual or typical form of rat tail hair comb which comprises a relatively flat, stiff back portion 11 with which, along its inside edge, is formed in the usual manner with a succession of hair combing teeth 12 which serve in the usual way for hair combing. Beyond the portion of the comb from which the succession of teeth extend, the back portion 11 continues as a gradually tapered handle 13 that terminates in a point, as at 14.

Formed in the ridge portion of the back 11 of the comb and extending substantially to the full length of the toothed inner edge portion, is a channel 15 within which a strip 16 of fine abrasive mesh material is mounted. This strip of mesh is originally cut from a flat sheet of the selected and suitable mesh to provide a rectangular piece of the desired length for application to the channel 15. Then, the flat strip is folded along its central longitudinal line in a rounded semi-cylindrical bend as at 18 in FIG. 2,

3,139,892 Patented June 30, 1964 over a backing strip 19 of fiber board, cardboard or the like, and its free edges are inserted in the channel and suitably secured by wedging the inner edge of the backing strip into the channel between them or by otherwise securing it. The rounded back edge 18 of the folded mesh strip projects outwardly beyond the line of the comb back 11 and about the outer edge of the backing strip 19 as will be well understood by reference to FIG. 2.

It is preferred that the strip of mesh 16 be woven of fine abrasive cotton, nylon or silk fabric of a 12 to 20 mesh per inch weave and impregnated with abrasive particles and then shellac or lacquer coated to round off or reduce the particle edges. With the particle edge thus reduced or rounded off, back combing will not break or split the hairs.

In the styling of a coilfure by use of this comb, the ordinary or usual procedure would be to comb the hair back or across the head in the general formation desired, then, the use of the rat tail handle end portion 13 of the comb, successively separate fine strands and, as each strand is held taut by drawing it directly out from the head, as indicated in FIG. 3, the comb is held in a manner for brushing the strand lengthwise toward the head with the mesh strip 16; the effect of such brushing being the matting of the hair and it may be continued until only a few of the held strands will be left. Then the next separated strand is similarly treated. This method of strand treating is repeated over the entire head or to any extent required for a selected styling. Little practice or experience is required for the accomplishment of satisfactory styling.

The principal advantage of the present comb resides in the fact that the combing of the hair, the strand separation, the back combing and the final styling may be accomplished by the use of a single tool in which the elements required for the separate parts of the hair styling operation are all associated as a unitary article, wherein each element or part qualifies the others in the finishing of the coifiure.

What I claim as new is:

In a coiffure styling device having a substantially flat, stiff back portion and an elongated handle comprising a longitudinal extension projecting from one end of said back portion, a hair ratting apparatus comprising; an elongated channel formed in one edge of said back, a backing strip located in said channel, a fiat strip of abrasive material folded on itself along its longitudinal central line to form a substantially semi-cylindrical bend with the edges thereof extending along the side edges of said backing strip, said abrasive material comprising a woven mesh impregnated with abrasive particles coated with lacquer to round off the particle edges, said backing strip serving to hold the edges of said abrasive material within said channel and the folded edge of said material extending outwardly from the outer edge line of said back and spaced from the outer edge of said backing strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,067,280 Smilovetz July 15, 1913 1,812,431 Chapman June 30, 1931 2,245,328 Califuno June 10, 1941 2,288,002 Kingman June 30, 1942 2,584,467 Kaye Feb. 5, 1952 2,602,457 Mele July 8, 1952 2,785,688 Chester Mar. 19, 1957 

